Resilience of coral reefs

[1] Resilience refers to the ability of biological or social systems to overcome pressures and stresses by maintaining key functions through resisting or adapting to change.

Greater amounts of photosynthetically active radiation in coral skeletons cause an increase in endolithic algae biomass and production of photoassimilates.

The study was undertaken in both the Caribbean and the Indo-Pacific and reached the conclusion that the latter may be more resilient than the former based on several factors; the process of herbivory and the rates of algal blooms forming.

The upkeep of seaweed contributes to decreasing space competition for substrate-seeking organisms, like corals, to establish and propagate, creating a stronger, more resilient reef.

[15] Diseases such as these can quickly spread among healthy coral reefs, potentially making them more susceptible to injury from disturbances like storms.

Some anthropogenic forces that degrade corals include pollution, sedimentation from coastal development, and ocean acidification due to increased fossil fuel emissions.

Additionally, noticeable changes in marine life, such as the loss of herbivorous fish that offer valuable services to coral reefs, can reduce ecosystem function as a whole.

Bottom trawling results in physical wreckage and stress that leads to corals being broken and zooxanthellae expelled.

[22] If coral reefs are exposed to physical damage like rock anchoring regularly, it can result in less resiliency to ocean acidification.

Less direct impacts, such as harmful chemicals in sunscreen and sedimentation driven by the tourism industry, can have irreversible effects as well.

Previous coral cryopreservation techniques relied on largely freezing sperm and larvae, making collection difficult, as spawning events only occur a few days a year.

This previous technique was also difficult because frequent marine heatwaves and warm waters can cause corals to be biologically stressed, resulting in their reproductive material being too weak to be frozen or thawed.

Feeding on zooplankton, brine shrimp, and algae may serve as a buffer for the harsh effects of climate change.

Feeding corals can help them sustain tissue biomass and energy reserves and enhance nitrogen content, allowing for a higher zooxanthellae concentration and increased photosynthesis.

[25][26] Increased feeding rates can also allow certain species of bleached and recovering coral to exceed their daily metabolic energy requirements.